1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to levitating objects using magnetic fields. More specifically, the present invention relates to levitating common objects above a specific base. These objects contain permanent magnets and are levitated over abase also containing permanent magnets.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The principals of magnets and magnetic properties have been well known in the art for centuries. Most important of these properties is the knowledge that a magnet contains two (2) poles, one north (N) and one south (S). It is commonly known that opposite poles attract, i.e. N to S, and that the same poles repel (N to N, or S to S).
Common objects like cigarette lighters, clocks, model airplanes, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, combs, razors, lipsticks, rulers, calculators, photograph frames, calendars, note pads, and flashlights are also well known in their respective arts. However, all of these objects have one thing in common, they are all effected by gravity. Also, objects like cigarette lighters, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, combs, razors, lipsticks and rulers are typically light and thin objects. The size of these objects pose some problems. Most of these objects, in their typical embodiment, are simple to pick up for the average person. However, fine motor skills are required to pick the object up off a flat surface (i.e., a desk or sink). Some persons with physical disabilities have great difficulty with the common task of removing a light, small, flat or low aspect object from a flat surface. Some physically challenged persons do not possess the fine motor skills to accomplish these tasks. Specialized versions of most of the above objects, especially in the area of personal hygiene, are available to assist the physically challenged in utilizing these objects. Most other specialized versions increase the size or add extra grasping locations to ease grasping.
Other larger, heavier objects like clocks, calculators, notepads, flashlights and photograph frames require size to increase their visibility. The preferred location for all three objects are at a distance up off the surface they are resting on. This will increase their visibility and thus their utility to the owner. However, the current inventions need large housings to hold the objects up off the surface. These housings require extra material and molding steps to produce. These housings increase the weight and bulkiness of the object without any added function. Also, typically these objects can be produced rather inexpensively and the added housing only serves to increase the cost. Another difficulty with a clock occurs during its primary use, which is to awaken the user. Most users are disoriented upon being awakened and have difficulty with either small or heavy objects. This is a problem when a user is attempting to engage the alarm delay switch (a.k.a. the xe2x80x9csnoozexe2x80x9d button) or trying to pull the alarm clock closer to switch off the alarm. An object that is light and quick and easy to grasp will assist many a user in utilizing a clock to the fullest.
As for model airplanes, many people collect scale replicas of actual aircraft or photographs of the aircraft. A problem with scale models is that they can usually only be displayed in the xe2x80x9clandedxe2x80x9d position, that is with the landing gear down or if the landing gear is up, the aircraft is still resting on the surface. The benefit of photographs of actual aircraft is that the aircraft can be depicted in mid-flight. Viewing an aircraft in mid-flight affords the pleasure of viewing the object in its element and is usually preferred. A drawback with photographs are that they are not three-dimensional and are in a fixed setting. Thus, there is a need in the art for a device that can display a model (such as an airplane) in three-dimensions and in mid-flight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,707 to Littlefield discloses a magnetically suspended model airplane. This invention tethers aircraft containing permanent magnets over a magnetic base to suspend the model aircraft. Because Littlefield""s invention requires the airplane to be tethered, the aircraft is required to be set at a distance from the tether point. Thus, the size of the entire device is increased because the base must be larger to accommodate the length of the tether. Also, the tether fixes the model airplane to the base. Therefore, the tether must be permanently or firmly affixed to both the model and base. The attachment of the tether restricts the user from taking the model from the base to enjoy it at a closer distance. The tether also disturbs the aesthetics of the model airplane. Real aircraft do not have tethers. The models contained in the Littlefield device can never be a perfectly accurate model because of that limitation. The current invention requires no tethers and, thus, can be created to be a perfectly accurate scale model of any airplane.
A known invention is a pen suspended horizontally by magnetic fields using the principals similar to the current invention. However similar, there are still a number of distinctions from the levitating embodiments. First, the pen is small, light and symmetric across all three axises and essentially perfectly balanced at the midpoint. Thus, a suspended pen is extremely simple to manufacture, but vastly limits what objects can be suspended. Any non-symmetric product substituted for the pen would cause the device to fall out of balance and not be levitated properly. The current levitated embodiments of the claimed invention can be non-symmetric and can have a balance other than at the midpoint. Thus, the current invention can levitate more complex objects, due to the object""s lack of symmetry and balance, because it discloses differing magnets of differing power.
Another known object is a pen disposed vertically from a clock by the use of magnetic forces. However, the clock is not suspended or levitating, it is held in place physically by an arm. This is completely different from any embodiment of the present invention, as described below. Next, the pen is disposed, not levitated. The pen in the illustration is positioned using simple magnetic attraction. This is in opposite to the complex magnetic interaction required to levitate all of the embodiments of the current invention. Plus, this object disposes the pen vertically, while the current invention levitates objects horizontally.
A third and fourth known object is a levitating photograph frame in the shape of a cube and a levitating globe of the earth. Both of these objects levitate the frame and globe between two opposed electromagnets with the frame or globe levitating between them. The use of electromagnets require the device to be powered. Also, the globe device requires the user""s manual adjustment to achieve levitation of the object. In opposite, the current invention uses permanent magnets, no electric current is necessary. Thus, the current levitating embodiments are improvements over an electromagnetic invention. There is no power or user intervention required to levitate any of the below described embodied objects.
Thus, there is still a need in the art to levitate common objects off a flat surface. For small and light objects, levitating them in mid air will allow persons without fine motor skills or other physical challenges to pick them up and use the device. Also, other embodiments will allow for disposable items to be placed within a holder that will levitate. This will reduce the waste and loss of usefulness of the object. Objects such as razors, toothbrushes, and lipsticks have a limited span of use. An embodiment will allow for the item to be replaced so as not to dispose of the entire device once the item is expended. For heavier objects, the visibility of the object can be increased without the addition of a bulky and heavy housing. For a clock containing an alarm, levitating the clock can aid in the recently awakened user to either delay or shut off the alarm. By having the clock levitate, it may be easier for the user to grasp or pull the item close so as to utilize the controls thereof. For model aircraft; depicting the aircraft in flight and having a three dimensional model are both preferred ways of viewing the model. The ability to levitate the model aircraft combines both preferred versions of displaying a model aircraft.
It is the foregoing and various other drawbacks of the prior art which the present invention seeks to overcome by providing a lighter and an ashtray, a clock and a base, a model airplane or other asymmetric object having a base and an object that levitates from the base. A support plate extends perpendicular to the base. The base also defines an interior space housing at least one base magnet. The base magnet is a permanent magnet having a north pole and a south pole. The lighter has an interior space, a base end, a levitating end, and a midpoint. The lighter has a conventional mechanism to create a flame. The lighter has at least one lighter magnet connected thereto. The lighter magnet is a permanent magnet having a north pole and a south pole and the lighter is selectively levitated from the base.
Another group of levitated objects can be selected from the group comprised of a toothbrush, hairbrush, comb, razor, lipstick, ruler, calculator, photograph frame, calendar, note pad, and flashlight. These objects will be levitated from a base in substantially the same manner as the lighter is suspended above the ashtray.